Recommend a Gunsmith to Glass Bed M77

I will be minimal help perhaps - not a "pro" at all - I have glass bedded multiple rifles like Mauser 96 and 98, Winchester 70 and Rem 788 - but only dismantled a Ruger 77 once - and about blew a gasket trying to re-assemble to spec - that tilted front action screw - I do not really have a great rifle holder that would allow me to get hold of that slotted screw, then apply 90 plus inch-pounds of torque, without marring that screw slot. I personally am not anxious to try that again - and would wonder if glass-bedding in that area - against that much torque, would actually accomplish anything. Maybe has benefit toward rear of that receiver - I do not know - not really interested to find out, either ...

I have a new-to-me Ruger 77 Compact in 243 Win - if that one needs "tinkering", I will have to spend time to build a really good rifle holder for it - and then get a proper small torque wrench set-up to re-torque that front screw. Probably would help if I saw how factory service centre would do that ... That 90 inch-pounds - so 7.5 foot-pounds - a long ways up from 15 or 20 inch-pounds for scope mount bases - a long way down from 140 foot-pounds for the lug nuts on my truck. And that Ruger action screw is not "straight" up/down nor straight horizontal - is tilted, as you know.
 
The screw is no problem, I replaced it with a quality caps screw (Allen head) and I just carefully hold the rifle barrel down into my carpet and torque her home. The issue is that the barrel is not centered along the barrel channel and a glass bed under the base of the barrel should help to align things. The rifle is far too nice to do that myself so I'm looking for somebody with experience and know-how, and the proper tools.
 
I assume the Mk II and Mk1 rifles have the same unusual bedding arrgt. Aside from the canted front screw, the Mk II has no support directly in front of the screw, as Mausers generally do. Instead, the support is provided at the fore-end tip. I find this sub-optimal, as it leaves the rifle vulnerable to stock warpage. Some have claimed that they have free floated the rifle with success, but I am skeptical about leaving the front screw cantilevered.
Where did the 90 inch-lbs come from, seems excessive?
 
90 inch pounds - I believe that I first saw that as the factory spec - actually 95 inch pounds - my post said 90 plus - was mentioned on a Ruger User board, I think. Since then, I have seen it repeated multiple times. If you have ever dismantled a Ruger 77, for sure that front screw was torqued in tight like that ... But, like wheel lug nuts - can set them however that you see fit, and then deal with stuff breaking, stripping or falling off, if it does or does not. My wife's Toyota SUV aluminum wheels say 76 ft-pounds on those lug nuts - I go to 80. My Chev 4x4 calls for 140 foot pounds on its lug nuts - is what it gets. Or that is at least the numbers that I set my torque wrench to - whatever that torque value really is. A retired farmer a few doors away has nearly the same vehicles - does not own a torque wrench - makes both of his to "farmer tight". Neither of us have had wheels fall off, and both Toyota SUV's get swapped for summer versus winter tires each Spring and Fall, by each of us, for probably the past 5 years.
 
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There is a small flat ahead of the recoil lug and it is enough to allow the rifle to be bedded with the barrel fully floated. As on the Model 70, bedding at the center screw location is optional and complicates the procedure. I like to cast fiberglass pillars for the front and rear screws and just use a spacer for the center screw.
 
Leeper said:
There is a small flat ahead of the recoil lug and it is enough to allow the rifle to be bedded with the barrel fully floated. As on the Model 70, bedding at the center screw location is optional and complicates the procedure. I like to cast fiberglass pillars for the front and rear screws and just use a spacer for the center screw.
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Hello my good man;. Are you referring to the flat under the barrel base?
 
I am referring to the flat portion of the receiver which is ahead of the recoil lug and the screw. While not a large area, it is more than sufficient to allay any concerns about cantilevering. The Ruger can be bedded with the barrel fully floated and with clearance under and in front of the recoil lug. Ruger 77's respond very well to glass bedding.
 
Accuracy wise in many instances simple is better... a little glass bedding can be better than a lot of glass bedding...
 
A 1.5 mm spacer (custom cut out of SS) between stock inlets and bottom metal/trigger guard, and 90 in/lbs of torque, and voila, she's floated now.
 
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Leeper said:
I am referring to the flat portion of the receiver which is ahead of the recoil lug and the screw. While not a large area, it is more than sufficient to allay any concerns about cantilevering. The Ruger can be bedded with the barrel fully floated and with clearance under and in front of the recoil lug. Ruger 77's respond very well to glass bedding.
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Thank you for this. I will try your suggestion later, but I addressed the alignment problem and it's free floated--as per above. Will test soon at range.

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